ByMao Haiping

    MsZhangregisteredaprepaidcardinahotelonLujiazuiRingRoadinPudongthreeyearsago.Whenshewentthererecently,shewastoldtheyhaveasystemprob⁃lem.Thecompanyhasshutdownthreerestaurantsandrefusedtoof⁃fercustomerservices.

    Receivingthecompliantfromtheconsumer,YangpuDistrictCon⁃sumersRightsProtectionCommis⁃sioninstantlycontactedMr.Lu,legalpersonofthecompany.Mr.Lusaidtheyhaveshutdownthreerestau⁃rantsduetomarketreasonsandonlytherestaurantonZhangwuLuisinoperation.Theprepaidcardoftheconsumerisstillvalid.However,duetosystemproblems,theconsumercantakethecardtotherestaurantonZhangwuLuorahot-potrestaurantonFangdianLuonaccount.MsZhangconsideredtheactofthecompanytobedeceptiveandrefusedtogototherestaurantonZhangwuLu.

    AsruledinArticle26oftheRegulationsofShanghaiMunicip⁃alityontheProtectionofConsumers'RightsandInterests,businessop⁃eratorsshallnotforceconsumerstopurchasecommoditiesoracceptservices,orviolateconsumers’willtobundlesellcommodities,servicesoranyotherunreasonableauxiliaryconditions;businessoperatorsshallgetconsumers’approvalbeforeprovidingselectiveservicesinad⁃vance.AsruledinArticle9oftheRegulations,consumershaverightstochoosecommoditiesorservicesfromthebusinessoperatorfreely,make independent decisions onbuyingornotbuyinganycommodi⁃ties,oracceptingorrejectinganyservices.Consumershaverightstocompare,identifyandselectcom⁃moditiesandservicesindependently.

    Aslearned, consumershaverightstoselectserviceswhiletherestaurantcannotimpactthecon⁃sumers’normalconsumptionduetoitsownbusinessoperationproblems.